Chloe Cogar (9) of Townsend rides in a float in the Hummers Parade, a New Year’s Day tradition in Middletown, featured spoofs on state and presidential politics and current events. Jason Minto, The News Journal

Jack Schreppler, grand marshal for life, leads the Hummers Parade, a New Year’s Day tradition in Middletown, featured spoofs on state and presidential politics and current events. Jason Minto, The News Journal

Bob Wilson of New Castle, poking fun at DelDot at the Hummers Parade, a New Year’s Day tradition in Middletown, featured spoofs on state and presidential politics and current events. Jason Minto, The News Journal

The New Year's Day parade spoofs the Philadelphia Mummers Parade with floats commenting on current events and pop culture. This year included a Trump-look alike riding a missile, a Roy Moore handing out candy, and a car covered in mud and with two skeletons and a sign saying "Hurricane Harvey."

Jack Schreppler, also known as the "Grand Marshal for Life," has been in the parade for 45 years. He leads the march on roller blades, wearing a tuxedo with tails, top hat, and cane. Schreppler said the parade is "the spirit of ingenuity and lack of rules and regulations."

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Jack Schreppler, grand marshal for life, leads the Hummers Parade, a New Year’s Day tradition in Middletown, featured spoofs on state and presidential politics and current events.(Photo: Jason Minto, The News Journal)

Schreppler continued to lead the parade even after he moved out of Middletown, because he said this event helps keep the town feel like a community.

"This is a small town that has become a big town, but we still have a small town feel," Schreppler said. "This is small-town America, this is what it's about."

The annual tradition started in the 1970s, when a group of residents wanted to see a sick friend and paraded up and down the streets with umbrellas, spoons and a man on a unicycle. Mark Wessell said he was 16-years-old when he marched with his friends at the first parade.

"The women would push their umbrellas up and down, just like at the Mummers Parade, so that's where they got the name from," Wessell said.

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Skip Bolinger of Galena, Md., poked fun of President Donald Trump at the Hummers Parade in Middletown.(Photo: Jason Minto, The News Journal)

The Wessell family makes a float for as long as Wessell can remember. He said he and his five brothers have created floats together, and solo, but they are always themed to "be as politically incorrect as possible."

Participants in the parade were meant to make their float the day of the parade, with little to no planning, Schreppler said. But, the regular participants will call each other ahead of time to make sure they don't do the same thing.

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Clay Wessell of Townsend in the Hummers Parade, a New Year’s Day tradition in Middletown, featured spoofs on state and presidential politics and current events.(Photo: Jason Minto, The News Journal)

"After Christmas, we start kicking ideas around watching the year's-end special and remembering what happened throughout the year," Wessell said.

Spectators brought out folding chairs, blankets, and beer to keep warm. Some, like John Zielinski, watched from the porch of their house. He said he has seen some creative floats, like when the Wessells dressed as Miley Cyrus in her "Wrecking Ball" music video.

"They had a huge cannon ball hanging from a crane, and he was swinging on it with his underwear," Zielinski said.

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The Hummers Parade, a New Year’s Day tradition in Middletown, featured spoofs on state and presidential politics and current events.(Photo: Jason Minto, The News Journal)

He said the only thing that changes is the topic of the year, but he was expecting a Harvey Weinstein impersonation. Every year, Zielinski said he and his family are entertained. He, family and friends get together and have brunch and enjoy the parade.

"It's a good reason to get the family together," Zielinski said. "It's definitely unique."

Amidst political polarization across the country, Schlepper said if you are offended, don't come.

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The Hummers Parade, a New Year’s Day tradition in Middletown, featured spoofs on state and presidential politics and current events.(Photo: Jason Minto, The News Journal)

"We have thick skin around here,"Schlepper said. "Everyone has a good sense of humor here, and I think it will continue until people loose their sense of humor. Hopefully, we won't."

Contact Josephine Peterson at (302) 324-2856 or jhpeterson@delawareonline.com. Follow her on Twitter at @jopeterson93.